New York Yankees star Juan Soto is slated to undergo X-rays on his left knee after slamming it into a wall in foul territory during Thursday’s 3-2 loss to the Seattle Mariners.
Soto crashed into the wall down the right field line while pursuing a foul ball and making a stellar sliding catch. But he was sporting a bruise on the knee after the game and underwent treatment.
“I think him sliding the way he did served him well,” New York manager Aaron Boone said afterward. “My biggest fear was that he twisted something. I think sliding like that probably preserved him a little bit. He banged his knee pretty good.”
The Yankees decided to have Soto undergo precautionary X-rays and they remain hopeful he can play in Friday’s contest at the Oakland Athletics.
Soto admitted he was concerned after he got up and threw the ball to the infield. He reached for the left knee and could feel discomfort as he rolled around on the ground.
“I was really worried,” Soto said. “I went straight into the concrete, and when I threw the ball, I just felt a lot of pain in my kneecap. Definitely, with time, (the pain) started going down and feeling better. Definitely, it was a little scary right there.”
Soto was 0-for-3 with a walk in Thursday’s game. He is batting .286 with 40 home runs, 103 RBIs and 120 runs in 149 games in his first season with the Yankees.
Soto, 25, is slated to be a free agent following the season.